Illinois Fighting Illini: Breaking News, Rumors & Highlights

College Football News / College Sports Only / July 29

Illinois Head Coach Brett Bielema Takes Shot At SEC

The beef between the Big Ten & SEC keeps getting juicier. Illinois head coach Bret Bielema criticized the SEC at Big Ten Media Days, claiming the conference

Bret Bielema News / Illinois Fighting Illini on SI / July 29

What Bret Bielema Expects Out of His New Illinois Defense

For almost the entirety of Illinois football's 2025 season, no one seemed willing to address the elephant in the room:The Illini couldn't get stops. Which

Illinois Fighting Illini News / Illinois Fighting Illini on SI / July 28

Bret Bielema Reveals Projected Illinois Offensive Line at Media Days: Why It Matters

Tuesday in Chicago marked the start of Big Ten Football Media Days for the 2026 season, an annual exercise that tends to be more ceremonial than revelatory.

Bret Bielema News / Illinois Fighting Illini on SI / July 27

Bret Bielema Takes Jab at Nick Saban in Next Chapter of Big Ten-SEC Debate

On Saturdays in the fall, conference matchups are supercharged with bitterness. The level of emotion one feels toward the squad lined up on the other side can teeter on the edge of pure hatred.

Illinois Fighting Illini News / Illinois Fighting Illini on SI / July 25

Illinois Basketball to Host Five-Star 2028 Recruit Dylan Betts for Unofficial Visit

Recruiting has always been one of Brad Underwood’s strengths. Ever since he came to Illinois, he has been able to build stacked recruiting classes – be it from the high school ranks or, more recently, the transfer portal.

Illinois Fighting Illini News / SwimSwam / July 25

Junior Nationals Qualifier Sloane Rocha Verbals To Illinois For 2027-28 Season

By Sean Griffin on SwimSwam Fitter and Faster Swim Camps is the proud sponsor of SwimSwam’s College Recruiting Channel and all commitment news. For many, swimming in college is a lifelong dream that is pursued with dedication and determination.

Illinois Fighting Illini News / Illinois Fighting Illini on SI / July 23

Illinois Sets Visit With Five-Star 2027 Guard NaVorro Bowman Jr.

Brad Underwood and his staff continue to stay busy on the recruiting trail. Over the past few days, Illinois has extended an offer to the No. 1 prospect in the class of 2028 – wing AJ Williams – and is reportedly in the process of cementing a date for a visit from 2027 four-star Isaiah Santos , per Dushawn London of 247Sports.

College Football News / Illinois Fighting Illini on SI / July 20

ESPN's FPI Predicts Every Illinois Football Game in 2026: Agree or Disagree?

ESPN’s metrics-based Football Power Index was recently unveiled for the 2026 campaign. The model, with its usual percentage-based predictions, offered a game-by-game projection of the Illini’s upcoming campaign.

Illinois Fighting Illini News / Illinois Fighting Illini on SI / July 20

Illinois Enters Race for Versatile 2028 Five-Star Benjamin Berrouet: How He'd Fit

With EYBL Peach Jam action in full swing, Illinois – along with every high-major college basketball program in the country – is closely monitoring a handful of prospects.

Illinois Fighting Illini News / Illinois Fighting Illini on SI / July 17

Illinois Gets Commitment From Three-Star Cornerback Trezavant Boyd: What It Means

June was far and away Illinois football's busiest month on the recruiting front in search of its 2027 class. And although July has been slow by comparison, Bret Bielema did pick up his second recruit this month on Wednesday when three-star cornerback Trezavant Boyd (Miami Central) signed with the Illini.

Illinois Fighting Illini News / Illinois Fighting Illini on SI / July 16

3 Key Takeaways From Illinois Basketball's Summer Highlights

On Wednesday, Illinois released a two-minute clip of “summer pickup” highlights. There are obvious caveats anytime we try to draw conclusions from footage

Illinois Fighting Illini News / Illinois Fighting Illini on SI / July 16

What If Tom Brady Would Have Played Football at Illinois Instead?

By now we all know the story of Tom Brady. An underdog kid goes to Michigan as the seventh-string quarterback, works his way up the depth chart overtime, leads the Wolverines to an impressive run before becoming the 199th overall pick in the 2000 NFL draft, and from there became the greatest and most accomplished to ever play the game.

Illinois Fighting Illini News / Illinois Fighting Illini on SI / July 15

3 Intriguing Illinois Lineups for 2026-27 – and What Makes Each So Dangerous

For a second straight season in 2026-27, Illinois will be overflowing with talent and production. The only question: How will coach Brad Underwood find minutes and touches enough for everyone?

Illinois Fighting Illini News / Illinois Fighting Illini on SI / July 15

5 Bold Predictions for Illinois Football in 2026

The 2025 college football preseason injected a level of optimism into Illinois’ fan base that the city of Champaign didn’t even know existed (at least not for the Illini on the gridiron).

Illinois Fighting Illini News / Illinois Fighting Illini on SI / July 15

Projecting Illinois Basketball's Best Case-Scenario for the 2026-27 Season

Returners? Check. Transfer portal star? Check. And how about a loaded freshman class, just for good measure? That's a big check. The Illini have all the

Illinois Fighting Illini News / Illinois Fighting Illini on SI / July 12

3 Big Concerns for Illinois Basketball Entering the 2026-27 Season

Life isn’t all sunshine and rainbows, but it certainly feels that way in Champaign – at least when it comes to Illinois hoops. With Illini Nation still riding the euphoric high of a Final Four run, it’s also looking ahead to a 2026-27 campaign for which it can rightfully hope for even more.

Illinois Fighting Illini News / Illinois Fighting Illini on SI / July 11

Illinois Basketball Extends Offer to Under-the-Radar 2027 Forward Ed Stasys

Time and again, Brad Underwood and the Illini coaching staff have separated themselves as one of the premier talent-evaluation units in the country. The story isn’t a new one: Illinois extends the first high-major offer to a recruit, then the offers come rolling in. Just weeks ago, that was the case for 2027 wing Jayon Connor .

Illinois Fighting Illini News / Illinois Fighting Illini on SI / July 11

Is Illinois' College Football Playoff Window Still Cracked Open?

Around Champaign, buzz and excitement are two words almost solely associated with Illinois basketball. Rarely has Illini football injected life into the Central Illinois area (and beyond) over the past few decades.

Illinois Fighting Illini News / Illinois Fighting Illini on SI / July 9

Illinois Gets Commitment From Defensive Back Darryl Flemister: What It Means

Bret Bielema received 10 verbal commitments from the class of 2027 in June alone, and on Sunday, the Illinois coach landed his first player in July when three-star defensive back Darryl Flemister committed to the Orange and Blue.

Illinois Fighting Illini News / Illinois Fighting Illini on SI / July 8

What Illinois Learned From Stefan Vaaks' Strong FIBA Performance With Estonia

Incoming transfer wing Stefan Vaaks hasn’t been with the Illinois program recently, as he has been competing with Estonia , his national team, in the FIBA World Cup Qualifiers.

Illinois Fighting Illini News / Athlon Sports / May 27

Illinois Reacts to Andrej Stojakovic’s Career Decision on Wednesday

The Illinois Fighting Illini entered Wednesday anxiously waiting for one of the biggest roster decisions of the college basketball offseason. After testing the NBA Draft process and participating in the NBA Combine earlier this month, Andrej Stojakovic officially made his long-awaited decision just before the withdrawal deadline.